


I Love Yous Tend to Mute the Noise

by kaleidomusings



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blind Date, Canon Compliant, Coffee Shops, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Exes, F/M, Family, Friendship, Love, Teacher-Student Relationship, Writer and Editor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-08-10 18:35:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7856545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaleidomusings/pseuds/kaleidomusings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of short stories focusing on Orihime and Ichigo's relationship, as well as others.</p><p>1. Orihime/Ichigo - "Wait what did you say you love me?"<br/>2. Orihime/Ichigo - Teacher/Student<br/>3. Orihime/Ichigo - Coffee shop AU<br/>4. Rukia/Renji - Writer/Editor<br/>5. Orihime/Ichigo - Masquerade AU<br/>6. Rukia/Renji - Exes meeting again AU<br/>7. Rukia/Renji - "Why are you at my doorstep at 3 in the morning?"<br/>8. Orihime/Ichigo - Picnic<br/>9. Rukia/Renji - Blind date</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Orihime/Ichigo - “Wait what did you just say you love me?”

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of my many prompt fills from Tumblr. It was sort of my take on what could have happened not long after the final battle with King Jerkface of the Quincy, before the manga actually ended.

With all the blood running down the side of his face, Ichigo has to keep one eye closed to prevent any of it from seeping in. His entire body hurts and he wavers on already unsteady feet when Inoue throws herself at him, but he wraps his arms around her instinctively -partly to keep the both of them from falling over and partially because she's soft and warm and he’s alive. Him and his friends, they’re all alive. 

“Thank goodness,” Inoue is repeating over and over against the skin of his neck. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”

Ichigo squeezes his eye shut and holds her closer, because he honestly can't believe it himself. He wasn't sure he was going to make it toward the end of it, but he won, he survived, and he now has Inoue clinging to him, her tears seeping into his collar. 

When Ichigo stops to think of the possibility that he could have died, that Inoue might have never known how it was her encouragement, her belief in him -just the thought of her smile that kept him going up until this point-, his heart aches and his mouth moves before he can stop it. 

“I love you, Inoue.”

She stiffens in his arms and Ichigo's eyes fly open -heedless of the blood- _because what the fuck did he just say._ His heart jumps in his throat when she pulls away just enough to look up at him, her eyes very wide.

“Wait. What did you just say--” Inoue chokes a little on the words. “You love me?”

“Um. Yes?” Wait, shit. That isn’t supposed to be a question. Ichigo swallows hard and tries again. “Yeah, I do.”

Tears well up in her eyes as Inoue covers her mouth with her hands and Ichigo is freaking out because _he broke her Tatsuki is going to kill him_ when Inoue beams at him, her smile a little watery but no less real.

It’s probably the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. 

“I love you too, Kurosaki-kun.”


	2. Orihime/Ichigo - Teacher and Student AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orihime hums a happy little tune to herself as she heads home, twirling her umbrella over her head.

Orihime hums a happy little tune to herself as she heads home, twirling her umbrella over her head.

Today has been a good day, especially since her class were more or less behaving, and no one fell asleep during her lessons. Not since Tatsuki -who teaches physical education- made them regret it after “boot camp week”. Just as she’s deciding whether or not to stop at the convenience store near home and grab dinner, when Kurosaki-kun stumbles out of an alley.

His bright orange hair -drenched with rain water and hanging heavily in his face- does nothing to hide the black eye, which has her hurrying over to him as soon as she catches sight of it. “Kurosaki-kun! Are you all right?”

For a moment he blinks, as if surprised to see her, before scowling like he always does. “Yeah,” he says, but his voice sounds too hollow to put her at ease. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine!” Orihime insists. His shoulders are trembling slightly with the cold and his knuckles are bloody. Her heart aches just looking at him. “We need to get you out of this rain.”

He doesn’t look pleased with the idea, but she waves off his protests and all but drags him up the stairs to her apartment. She gets him to take a bath, dress into her brother’s old clothes, and sit on her couch before he tries to leave.

“At least let me bandage your hands,” she says as sternly as she can.

Kurosaki-kun frowns but nods anyway, so Orihime grabs her first aid kit and gets to work.

“I didn’t see you in class today,” she says, gentler this time, as she applies ointment to his raw knuckles.

There’s a long moment of silence, but just when she's starting to think that he won’t respond, his head droops. “I don’t like rainy days,” Kurosaki-kun says at last, as if that explains anything. And, for someone like Orihime, it actually does. “Today most of all.”

Orihime wraps gauze around his hands and thinks about the shrine in the other room. “So you got in a fight?”

Kurosaki-kun scowls up at her through his bangs, but she meets his gaze steadily. “Why do you care?”

“Because you’re my student,” she says, cutting off the end of the bandage and tying it off carefully. “And I know what it’s like to lose someone.”

Kurosaki-kun doesn’t speak to her after that, but he does stay for coffee and accepts the umbrella she lets him borrow. She hands him his uniform, now clean and dry, and waves goodbye until he disappears down the street.

After that day something changes between them. Orihime feels it every time their eyes meet during class, every time she needs help carrying someone, every time he walks her to the school gate. But neither of them bring up that rainy night, and even after he graduates and leaves for good, she still thinks about him sometimes.

And always when it rains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Then years later, Ichigo comes to see Orihime. His hair is shorter and he carries himself with a confidence that he didn't have when he was still her student. He tells Orihime that he never forgot the night she helped him and that it really changed him as a person. He tells her that he chose a profession that helps people (either a doctor like Isshin or a police officer), similar to the way she helped him. She smiles -her heart fluttering in her chest, both from pride at the man Ichigo has become and maybe something else- and tells him how proud she is. Immediately, Ichigo's scowl softens a little and he asks if she wants to get coffee with him, making her blush because _oh_.
> 
> They get married a couple years later.


	3. Orihime/Ichigo - Coffee shop AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo hasn’t even reached the counter yet when the girl standing behind the register smiles at him and says, “Medium roast. Black, with an extra shot of expresso.”

Ichigo hasn’t even reached the counter yet when the girl standing behind the register smiles at him and says, “Medium roast. Black, with an extra shot of expresso.”

He stares, because either she’s a mind reader or she’s memorized his order, and he’s not sure which is more impressive considering he’s only been to this cafe once before, while he was out with Karin and Yuzu on a rainy day, who insisted he treat them to hot chocolate.

The girl's smile falters a little as he continues to stare at her. “Did I get it wrong?” she asks, looking like he just kicked her puppy or something.

“Um.” Ichigo mentally shakes himself and reminds himself to form words. “No. You’re right.”

“Oh good,” the girl says with a relieved smile. “And you’re welcome to order something else if you like. I just make a habit of remembering people who come in and what they order.”

\--

Which Ichigo thinks is kind of weird but also really adorable, and he starts going to the cafe every morning just to see Orihime and talk with her for a bit. And -after a while- she starts making drinks for him to try and there are things Ichigo has swallowed that no sane person would even dream of unless they were hopelessly in love with the person making them. Because Ichigo _is_  hopelessly in love with Orihime, and eventually they start dating.

(Years down the line when they’re married and are about to have their first child, Ichigo will remember having met her before. Once, when he saved Orihime from some guys harassing her and then walked her home after beating them to a pulp.)


	4. Rukia/Renji - Writer and Editor AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renji is ecstatic when he finds out that he is going to be Kuchiki Rukia’s new editor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! The first of the prompt fills I've written for Rukia and Renji. They're so much fun to write and I'm so happy that they're together now with an adorable spitfire of a daughter. They both deserve happiness.

Renji is ecstatic when he finds out that he is going to be Kuchiki Rukia’s new editor. He’s always loved her famous noir fiction series and admired her dark and suspenseful writing style. But he’s nervous, because he knows how he looks and is aware that some people can find all his piercings and tattoo a bit disconcerting.

So Renji is a little surprised when he steps over the mess in Kuchiki’s living room and finds her in the corner of the room, typing away at her laptop. 

“Put on some tea, would you?” she asks, without looking up from the computer screen.

Renji stares at her, a little taken aback. No one ever told him that Kuchiki Rukia is so _tiny_. And adorable, if he ignores the fact she hasn’t spared a single glance at him and her startlingly masculine speech patterns.

He clears his throat and tries again. “It’s an honor to meet you, Kuchiki-san,” he says, remembering how Rangiku drilled him about formality and politeness before finally letting him escape her office. “I look forward to working together.”

Rukia glances at her tea cup, as if wondering why it’s still empty before turning to glare at him. But then her eyes widen behind her ridiculously huge glasses and Renji stiffens, waiting for her to say something about his fiery red hair or the markings on his skin.

Instead, she grins, so bright and warm that his heart skips a beat.

\--

Then Renji becomes her manservant/bodyguard/eye candy. He soon learns that she can’t cook or clean to save her life, and instead of writing, she tends to doodle tiny animals on post it notes and leaves them lying around for him to find. When Ichigo -Renji’s coworker- sees these little doodles put up all around his desk, he makes horrified noises about the “vaguely rabbit-like creature”, but Renji ignores him because _clearly_ he doesn’t understand art.


	5. Orihime/Ichigo - Meeting at a masquerade ball AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo has never much cared for dancing, but the party is Yuzu’s idea and she has a pleading stare that's a weapon all on its own.

Ichigo has never much cared for dancing, but the party is Yuzu’s idea and she has a pleading stare that's a weapon all on its own. His only consolation is that he’s not alone; Karin and a bunch of his friends are here as well, some more willing than others. 

Yuzu insisted he wear a black tuxedo for the occasion, with a matching mask that doesn’t cover much except around his eyes. Tatsuki has already laughed at him about it and just grinned when he scowled at her. She's dressed in a dark blue suit with a ruffled shirt and a mask that at least covers the top half of her face. And while on anyone it might have looked ridiculous, Ichigo has to grudgingly admit that she doesn't look that bad. She rolls her eyes at him when he tells her as much and then wanders off, saying something about finding her friend. 

He forgets all about it until he steps out of a way of a wildly spinning couple and bumps into a girl in a white gown, because _of course he would_. She stumbles right into him and he reaches out to catch her, realizing too late that his hands are resting low on her hips. She looks like a princess right out of those fairy tale books Yuzu used to beg Ichigo to read to her and pretends she doesn't still look through every once in a while. The skirt of her dress fans out from the side, reaching to her ankles, with a bodice that clasps together at the neck and transparent sleeves. Her hair is done up in an intricate style and her thin mask goes just around her eyes, with little wings at the side. 

"You all right?"

"Y-yes."

"Sorry for knocking you over," Ichigo says and starts to pull away. 

The girl blushes under her mask. "Not at all. I wasn't watching where I was going."

Ichigo has the insane urge to dance with her, but -before he can talk himself out of it- they’re being shoved into the mass of dancers, and he has to hold on or else get them both trampled. They shuffle awkwardly before he manages to straighten them out, clasping her right hand in his and placing her left one on his shoulder. 

He spins her a little and she narrowly trips over his foot, which Ichigo only manages to escape unscathed because his shoe catches on the floor. 

“I’m not much a dancer,” the girl says apologetically, sounding shy and a little breathless. 

Ichigo shrugs as he begins to lead her across the dance floor. He’s never really told anyone, but his mom used to dance with him sometimes. She’d play some slow and sweet sounding song on the radio and spin him around the living room, laughing when they tripped over each other, too happy to be embarrassed, simply content in having each other so close. 

“That’s fine. We'll figure it out.”


	6. Rukia/Renji - Exes meeting again AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Renji?” a voice speaks up from behind him, and it’s so achingly familiar that it’s like the air has been punched from his lungs. 

“Renji?” a voice speaks up from behind him, and it’s so achingly familiar that it’s like the air has been punched from his lungs. 

He turns around so quickly that the heavy gold chain around his neck nearly smacks him right in the face. As much as he hates wearing it, he never had the heart to get rid of it. Not when he remembers how embarrassed Rukia had been when she gave it to him, her face bright red and unable to meet his eyes as she shoved it at him with some snarky remark about making it up to her. 

Rukia has definitely changed since then. She’s still small and petite, but her hair is cut short, and her gaze is steady as she smiles at him. It feels as if this is the first time she’s ever really _looked_ at him, and Renji has never been more in love with her. 

“Rukia…”


	7. Rukia/Renji - “Why are you at my doorstep at 3 in the morning…"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Renji wakes up to loud obnoxious knocking at his front door in the middle of the night, he rolls onto the other side of the bed and goes right back to sleep.

When Renji wakes up to loud obnoxious knocking at his front door in the middle of the night, he rolls onto the other side of the bed and goes right back to sleep.

But the knocking persists, and -with a heartfelt groan- he wrestles out of his covers and stumbles to the door, yanking it open with a growl.

” _What_?“

Rukia raises a brow in response. "I’ve never seen you this cranky before. What’s wrong?”

Renji doesn’t tell her about the extra shifts he’s been taking at work to save up for her birthday next month. It’s going to ruin the surprise otherwise. “Rukia,” he says, more slowly and less cranky. “Why are you at my doorstep at--” He squints at his clock. “3 in the morning…?”

But Rukia seems to have stopped listening. She’s staring instead at his bare chest, because he forgot to throw on a shirt before answering the door. Renji valiantly resists the urge to cover himself with his hands, but when the woman he’s been in love with since he was a kid is looking at him like-- Like she wants-- He’s only human, all right?

“Rukia,” he snaps and pretends not to notice the way his voice cracks just a little. “Eyes up here.”

She blinks up at him owlishly -like she’s the one who just woke up- and Renji flushes to the roots of his hair because _honestly_.


	8. Orihime/Ichigo - Picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inoue hasn't stopped smiling since Ichigo showed at her front door that morning, red-faced and feeling like an idiot, before grabbing her hand and leading her to his chosen spot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for billciipher’s Tumblr prompt: Ichigo/Orihime - picnic.

Inoue hasn't stopped smiling since Ichigo showed at her front door that morning, red-faced and feeling like an idiot, before grabbing her hand and leading her to his chosen spot.

It’s hard to believe he’s even in this kind of situation in the first place, because it was never Ichigo’s intention to fall in love. Saving the world and the very structure of reality kind of took precedent over things like that, after all. But even before he met Rukia and everything he thought he knew was forever changed, it was never Ichigo’s top priority. Most of his friends (mainly Keigo) never seemed to shut up about girls, but it was hard to think about a girlfriend with everything else that was on his plate. And that included looking after his baby sisters and his dumbass of a father. 

Besides, Ichigo was already so busy with homework, helping out at the clinic, and lending a hand -sometimes literally- to the spirits he always seemed to run into on a daily basis. Even if he wanted a girlfriend, he just didn’t have the time for one. 

That didn’t mean he didn’t think about it though. At least, not consciously. But every once in a while he’d find himself turning to look when Inoue walked into the classroom, or somehow being about to distinguish Inoue’s voice in a crowded hallway. Or sometimes he would see her smile and he’d wonder what it would be like to have that smile directed at him all the time. 

…Okay. Maybe Ichigo was a little in love with her, even then. 

“Kurosaki-kun?”

Ichigo glances down and finds Inoue looking up at him, concern evident in her eyes. It takes him a moment, but he realizes that he was so deep in thought that he hadn’t let go of her hand. It embarrasses him, although by now it really shouldn’t. They are dating, after all. So he squeezes her hand before letting go, unpacking the picnic blanket and the food, ignoring the heat creeping up his neck and to the tips of his ears. 

He sits down and pats the spot next to him. “Sit down, Inoue.”

She flushes and fiddles nervously with her hands before nodding. She settles next to him and -after a moment’s hesitation- leans her head against his shoulder. “This is a beautiful place.”

“Yeah,” Ichigo agrees, because it is. He happened across it by chance. It’s in a quiet area, away from any busy streets or crowds. It faces the river and is generously shaded by the surrounding trees. There isn’t anything particularly special about the place, except that it’s pretty and he wanted Inoue to see it with him. “Let’s eat.”

Inoue tries to protest as Ichigo serves her first and pours a cup of tea for her, but he just shrugs. He doesn’t cook all that often and he’s nowhere near as good as Yuzu, but even he can manage a picnic for Inoue. The food itself is simple, just some sandwiches and a few side dishes, but Inoue seems to like it well enough. Ichigo considers it a success, over all. 

They talk as they eat, discussing simple and inconsequential things. What they did the other day, something Rukia said the last time she visited, what competition Tatsuki is training for, how Ichigo’s family is doing. It’s nice and comfortable. It’s moments like these that makes Ichigo understands just how relaxed Inoue makes him feel and that’s something he hasn’t felt in a long, long time.

“There’s dessert too,” Ichigo says, but stops when Inoue places her hand on his arm. 

“I’ve had the best day,” Inoue says with one of her sweet smiles. The ones that seem to knock the very breath out of him, like one of Rukia’s suckerpunches. “Thank you, Kurosaki-kun.”

“About that.” Ichigo takes her hand in his his and gently squeezes her fingers. “I’d like you to call me by my name, and I’ll call you by yours. If that’s all right with you.”

Inoue -no, Orihime- turns bright red. “What?”

“You’re the one for me,” Ichigo says. “I think it was always you, and until I’m an old man and my spirit goes to Soul Society for good, it’ll always be you.” He pauses. “I hope you feel the same.”

“I do!” Orihime says loudly. She clasps his hand in both of hers and presses his fingers against her lips. “You've always been the only one for me too.”

Ichigo feels himself turn red because he’s ridiculously happy and also possibly dying of embarrassment. It’s one of the many reasons he loves Orihime as much as he does, because she always makes life a little more interesting when she’s around. 

“There’s still a lot I have to do to become a man you can be proud of, but I love you, Orihime. Will you wait until then and marry me someday?”

Orihime smiles at him, her eyes bright and beautiful. “Yes, Ichigo. Of course I will. Of course.”

And -well- there’s no other way Ichigo can respond to that except lean over and taste that smile for himself.


	9. Rukia/Renji - Blind Date AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renji really should know better than to trust an offer from Ichigo to buy him lunch.

Renji really should know better than to trust an offer from Ichigo to buy him lunch. 

“No. Absolutely not.”

Ichigo scowls. It looks less intimidating than usual because of the food in his mouth, making him look more like an angry hamster with stuffed cheeks. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

“I don’t need to,” Renji says, shoveling food in his mouth as if it’ll help him escape this situation that much quicker. “Whatever you’re planning,, I’m not going to like it and I want no part of it.”

“I’m not planning anything.”

Renji gives Ichigo his most unimpressed look. Ichigo is a complete opposite of subtle and isn’t fooling anyone. Renji may be many things, but he’s not an idiot. He has _eyes_. “You’re making that face.”

Ichigo sets his utensils down. “What face?”

“The face you make before you do something incredibly stupid, against the better judgment of everyone else.”

“I don’t make a face like that,” Ichigo says, insulted. 

Renji rolls his eyes and wonders how someone as sweet as Inoue ended up with such a moron. “Then what do you want?”

“A friend of mine is visiting town for a few days. I wanted to see if you can show her around.”

Renji chokes on his next mouthful of food. “What? Are you trying to set me up on a blind date?”

Ichigo frowns at him and leans back in his chair. “That’s disgusting, Renji.”

For a brief moment, Renji considers strangling him. He already has enough to worry about with a boss who hates him and a job that drives him crazy, even if he does love it. The last thing he needs right now is having his friends mess around with his love life, or lack thereof. 

“What the hell are you thinking?” he demands. 

“Come on. She’s really great. She’s smart and funny. You’ll like her.”

“I hate you,” Renji informs his lunch very seriously, because he’s so angry that if he looks at Ichigo right now he might do something violent. And even if Ichigo deserves it, he really doesn’t want to get carted off to jail. Besides, it’s never him liking someone else that’s the problem, is it? Regardless of how he feels, the moment the other person sees his tattoos and piercings, they want nothing to do with him. “And the answer is no.”

“Renji.”

He leaps to his feet and slams his hands on the table. “I said no!” He can feel the people around them stare and hears whispers behind his back, already making assumptions of him. He’s tired of it. 

“I’m done.”

“Renji!” Ichigo calls, but he’s already storming out the door. 

That asshole can pay the bill himself.

—

After what happened at the restaurant, the last thing Renji expects is for Ichigo to bring up the blind again. But bring it up he does, less than a week after their disastrous lunch, when Renji is trying to avoid a mental breakdown after chewed out of his boss. Again. 

Who knew that being an elementary teacher is such a dangerous job?

That’s when his phone buzzes. _Reservation is at 7 at the usual place. Don’t be late._

Renji squints at the text from Ichigo, trying to make sense of it. _Giving up_ , he texts back, _What’s going on? Are you finally proposing to Inoue or are you going to tell me that she’s pregnant with your kid?_  

A long string of mashed together letters and symbol flood his screen and then, _First of all, how did your mind go that direction?_

 _I’m busy with work, so if it’s not either of those things I can’t go._ He still has to finish putting together the lesson plans for the next six months before his boss really fires him. 

_I already told her that you’d be there._

Renji immediately has a bad feeling. _Who’s “she”?_

_My friend, Rukia. She’s visiting from out of town and wants to meet you. Didn’t I mention her already?_

_ICHIGO!_

_Just meet her once and if it doesn’t work out, I promise to leave you along about it._

_I’m going to murder you,_ he writes back. It’s the closest he’ll ever get to admitting defeat. 

Ichigo replies with a smiling poop emoji. 

Renji glares at his phone for the rest of the day. 

It’s a miracle he even gets to the restaurant before 7. Work ends up being so busy that he loses track of time and has to rush over, without being able to even change his shirt. So he’s not only sweaty and out of breath, but also covered in paint from protecting poor little Ururu from one of Jinta’s rampages during art. 

The hostess gives him a dirty look when he stumbles through the front door of the restaurant, but reluctantly has him shown to the table. Renji freezes when he catches sight of the young woman already seated there. 

The only reason he came is to apologize to this Rukia and explain to her that he isn’t looking to date anyone, that it was all Ichigo meddling into his affairs, but all it takes a is a smile from her to make him forget all about that plan. 

Rukia is small and petite, with short black hair and violet eyes, but there’s something bold and powerful in the way she holds herself. Renji knows with just one look that he’s already a little bit in love with her, and _it’s all Ichigo’s fault_.

“You must be Renji,” she says pleasantly, and Renji is startled by both her deep voice and masculine way of speaking. She stands to shake his hand, her skin soft and delicate, but there’s a fierceness in the strength of her grip. 

“Yeah,” Renji replies faintly, because Ichigo was right about something for once. “And you’re Rukia.”

Rukia holds on longer than necessary before letting go of his hand, her eyes lingering on the tattoos curling around the bare skin of his wrist before looking up at him. Surprisingly enough, she doesn’t seem at all repulsed by them. in fact, even though she’s smiling, Renji can see the heat and desire in her eyes. 

_God damn it, Ichigo._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To absolutely no one’s surprise except for Renji, it turns out that Rukia is his boss’ younger sister.
> 
> Rest in peace, Renji.


End file.
